'65 Lyn Craft Seabreeze 1500 Sport Runabout

[buxmj]

Woodonglass, thanks for this suggestion and all the threads you have done, it will take me a while but I have started sifting through yours and a few others, hope to have some knowledge to share with others someday! I will try to gently take that transom stiffener off and go from there.

 

[sphelps]

Yeah those multitools come in handy for sure !
Buxmj we go to O-town a good bit and for sure will be at the next Dora boat show ! Hopefully this year with one or two boats in tow !

 

[Fcdave]

Buck, if you boat matches the spec for the 1966 model, it should be rated for a 65hp. Back in the 60's, a 65hp weighed about 190-200lbs....whuch is the weight of a 50hp 4 stroke today. My 64 Starcraft 15 is similar and I am putting a 50hp on the original transom, as it is in near orginal condition. If you rebuild your transom following the examples on this site, you will have a stronger than original build ! Check out my build in my 14' conversion to a fishing flats/skiff....similar stringer and transom, but in epoxy.

 

[Fcdave]

1966 spec

 

[buxmj]

Thanks guys for all the input! I have been considering several different methods of dealing with the transom. First I need to get the rub rail off and then get the aluminum transom stiffener off and then I will have a better idea of what can be done and needs to be done. Some things I am considering are seacast for the transom if possible and coosa board for the deck. One great thing about both those products is I can drive to pick them both up and don't have to pay shipping. I have seen seacast used on a thread here, anyone use coosa board for stringers and decking yet?

 

[Woodonglass]

Several builds have used both. IMHO unless you plan on keeping the boat for LIFE, it's not worth the added expenses to use these materials. Properly prepped and installed plywood will last for multiple decades especially if you care and maintain your boat as it should be. I'd use a heat gun and stiff blade putty knife to attempt to peel that aluminium off.

 

[buxmj]

Well I got the aluminum engine plate off, it came off much easier than what I was expecting, took out the tie down hooks out and scraped all the silicone off and had to get one tube out of the way and it just lifted off! Even though it is aluminum it is very heavy, glad it is off and now I can figure out my plan of attack. I also started to take the rubber insert of the rub rail off, it was so dry and hard it was easier to cut it down the middle with a razor and then pull it out.

The pic shows some aluminum angle that definitely was not original, I drilled out those rivets, took off the strips and can now see and feel how bad the transom is, there might be a few inches of good wood at the bottom but I am sure I will be doing the whole transom so I don't have to worry about it for a long time. The aluminum plate will not be going back on if anyone is wondering. Also, the pic was taken through our screen porch, the fiberglass skin is in great shape just dirty.

 

[Woodonglass]

You MIGHT want to consider cutting the gunwhales about 12" in front of that big ole' splashwell. This would allow good access to the transom and you wouldn't have to decapitate the entire hull. Putting it back on is very easy and would be totally invisible once done. It looks a LOT worse than it really is.

 

[buxmj]

Thanks WOG! I really don't want to take the whole cap off just to get to the transom and this might be exactly what I need to do. I am very happy with the condition of the outer skin, I was going to look for another option and you saved me some research time, awesome.

 

[Fcdave]

Looks so much better without that hunk of metal hanging on the back....although the metal did raise the transom height.... i perfer the 20" as it prevents swamping a loaded boat in conditions above "moderate chop"....especially if you wanted to hang a 200lb+ 4 stroke on it .... that 1600 i posted above has the 20"....you might want to consider building it back at 20" ???

 

[buxmj]

Thanks FcDave, like WOG you are reading my mind as to my next question. I need to figure out how much the '71 Evinrude Lark weighs, I think I might have the weight somewhere. It has been sitting on the stand for 5 years untouched since I got the compression tested. Also I am hoping to be able to use the bow gas tank, would think any weight taken out of the back and put up front should help.

 

[Fcdave]

I think the early 70's 50hp weighs about 176-187 lbs, depending in shaft length & trim. The 70hp was about 200-220 lbs....which my Starcraft is rated for (actually a 75hp)....so i opted for a new 4 stroke 50hp which today weighs in at 209lbs...right in the slot ! It has a 20" transom.....will see how it sits as soon as i get it back from marina install this weekend???

 

[buxmj]

Today I cut the cap off of the transom. It was easy because one side had already been cut which probably was someone starting to cut the cap off then realizing how bad the transom was and deciding to put a big transom stiffener on instead. Once I got the cap cut off there was not much other than dust left, no chunks at all, made it easy to clean out though! There still is little good wood at the bottom but not much.

 

[sphelps]

Well at least ya got some mulch for the flower bed !

 

[Fcdave]

A good start, at least you dont have to spend hrs digging it all out !

 

[buxmj]

I did some more cutting out of the deck yesterday. Using my circular saw and then going back with my Dremel multi max and getting real close, trying to cut down on future grinding. Also I took the aluminum plate to a recycling place Friday, that thing weighed 30 pounds!

 

[Fcdave]

Demo is the worst part .... at least you got some salvage !

 

[buxmj]

I hope so Fcdave, looking forward to the reconstruction after deconstruction. I need to recover as much money as I can since I bought two boats and the first one (the wooden one) ended up in the trash! It actually isn't too bad, I didn't pay a lot for either boat, knowing they both could be too far gone. I am hoping to recover half to most of my initial costs by selling the trailer off the wooden boat and the engine off this boat, we will see. I am trying not to think of total costs, it has been and will be spread out so the pain isn't as bad as having to come up with the whole amount at once. They say the best two days of boat ownership is the day you buy it and the day you sell it, lol. For me I am learning a lot and enjoying the process, wasn't even depressed when the decision was made to scrap the wooden boat. Can't wait to the splash but can't think about that too much, so much to do!

 

[buxmj]

Sorry I have been away for a little while. We had two short vacations and I am trying to finish up a big project in the house. I have managed to sneak a little time to work on the boat, well the trailer to be exact. I got it back from being sandblasted and powder coated in June and just finished putting it back together. Since this trailer is a homemade trailer that is 50 years old, I replaced several parts for safety's sake. New tires and wheels, axle, hubs, springs, spring brackets, bunks and bunk brackets, rollers, winch and jack. Still need to do a few things but I am very happy with the results, it should last another 50 years.

 

[buxmj]

Hello everyone! Was busy with a big (for me) home project to make the admiral happy and I will soon be working on the boat again. The home project was a built in entertainment center that was really difficult because it had to fit in a footprint that was already decided by the previous owner of the house. It was a pain but very happy with it and glad I can move on to other projects, none too big right now so hoping to really get going on the boat.